Knock-down display structure

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a structure that may be readily set up or disassembled for transportation and which comprises three basic structural pieces interrelated by detachable connector means to form a variety of strong, self-supporting displays.

United States Patent 1 Downing 1 May 22, 1973 [54] KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY STRUCTURE [76] Inventor: John G. Downing, c/o Downing Displays, 300 Genessee Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 22 Filed: May 6,1971

[21] App1.No.: 140,862

[52] US. Cl. ..l08/l11, 182/178, 57/637, 312/257 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..182/178; 52/637, 52/489, 483, 280, 260, 476; 211/176, 175,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,798,574 7/1957 Wardell ..182/178 3,347,610 10/1967 Pilliod ..312/263 1,889,770 12/1932 Black ..52/489 3,465,898 9/1969 Klein ..182/178 3,221,394 12/1965 Pitts 3,316,862 5/1967 Dismuke 3,527,320 9/1970 Cunningham R26,105 11/1966 Guillon et al.... 3,229,029 l/1966 Weiss 3,454,131 7/1969 Johnson et al ..182/178 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,031,787 6/1966 Great Britain ..182/178 Primary Examiner.1ames T. McCall Assistant ExaminerGarry Moore AttorneyWalter S. Murray [5 7] ABSTRACT There is disclosed a structure that may be readily set up or disassembled for transportation and which com prises three basic structural pieces interrelated by detachable connector means to form a variety of strong, self-supporting displays.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY STRUCTURE This invention relates to a novel knock-down display structure formed from a number of sectionalized side frames, a series of panels detachably associated with the side frames, and shelves supported on the side frames and adapted to maintain the assembled structure in a stabilized condition.

More particularly the invention deals with improved display structures of the character described wherein the several parts can be disassembled to facilitate packaging and transportation of the display and which may be quickly and easily set up to provide a strong and stable display medium for use at merchandise shows, conventions, or the like.

Still more particularly the invention contemplates the use of sectionalized side frames, each section comprising a pair of upstanding legs connected together at common ends by a cross bar, said legs having pins projecting downwardly therefrom, the upper ends of the legs constituting sockets for receiving the pins in the next superjacent section; of panels extending between adjacent legs and having detachable spring clips thereon for mounting the panels on the legs; and of shelves having notches therein for engaging the cross bars on adjacent side frames which stabilize the frames and panels in the set up display structure.

An important object of the invention is to provide three basic structural pieces and novel connecting means between certain of the pieces whereby a plurality of said pieces and their respective connecting means may be interrelated to form a variety of self-supporting displays, each display being of any appropriate height or width and capable of supporting, with stability, all kinds of merchandise, or the like.

Other novel and improved features of the invention will be best understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmental, perspective view of my display structure in set-up, operative condition.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one of the sectionalized side frames for the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a'fragmental rear elevational view of one of the panels for my display structure.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmental section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section on line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmental view in perspective of one of the shelves for the display structure.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my knock-down display structure 10 having sectionalized side frames 11 that are longitudinally spaced apart and laterally disposed in the set-up display structure. Panels 12 and shelves 13 are each detachably connected to the frames 11 to provide a rigid and stabilized display structure, said panels bearing on their exposed major faces advertising, decorative designs and emblems, or the like, while the shelves may support literature, merchandise, or the like.

With particular reference to FIGS. 2-4 of the drawings each frame comprises a plurality of interfitting sections 14, each section having a pair of spaced, parallel legs 15-15 made from equal lengths of tubular stock, and connected together at common end portions 16-16 by a cross-bar 17. Pins 18-18 are swaged into said common end portions 16-16 of the legs and have their lower ends 19-19 extending from said leg end portions. The cross bar 17 has its end portions 2020 encircling the intermediate parts of the pins, (FIG. 4) said end portions being fixed to the pins as by welding 21-21, or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings the opposed ends 22-22 of the tubular legs 15-15 on a section are open and constitute sockets for slidably receiving the lower ends 19-19 of the pins 18-18 on the superjacent section 14. Thus sections 14 may be interfitted to build a side frame 11 of any desired height having cross bars 17 located in the assembled side frames at predetermined levels.

As best shown in FIGS. 5-7 of the drawings the panels 12 are generally rectangular in configuration and may be made in a number of sizes suitable for the particular display to be constructed, each panel being provided with comer positioned, spring clips 23 adapted to detachably engage and securely grip the legs 15 of adjacent side frames 11. Each panel has a pair of parallel side rails 24-24 with inwardly facing, longitudinal grooves 25-25 (FIG. 6) to engage the side edge portions of the panels, the rails being fixed to their respective panel edge portions by adhesive, or the like. With reference to FIG. 7 it will be seen that each spring clip 23 has one end riveted, as at 26, to an end of the rail and has its free end made in a semi-circular form to resiliently engage and detachably grip the leg of a side frame section.

Now with respect to FIG. 8 of the drawings the shelves 13 for my display structure are of rectangular configurations and each has a longitudinal strip 27 extending across and fixed to the underside of the shelf at each end portion thereof. Each strip 27 has a pair of notches 28-28 formed in its side edge portions adapted to receive the upper edge of a cross bar 17 of an assembled side frame.

The legs 15-15 on the uppermost side frame sections 14 in the assembled display may support desired advertising panels 29, or the like, each of which is secured to said legs by spring clips like the clips 23 for the panels 12.

It will therefore be understood that I have provided a knock-down display device comprising three structural pieces, namely: sectionalized side frames 11, rectangular panels 12 and shelves 13, the sectionalized frames being detachably secured to the panels by spring clips 23 and to the shelves by pairs of notches 28-28 on the underside of the shelves engageable in the frame cross bars which stabilize the set up display device.

What is claimed is:

l. A knock-down display structure having at least two spaced apart, sectionalized frames, each frame comprising a number of U-shaped components each having a pair of spaced, upstanding tubular legs of cylindrical cross section, a cross-bar rigidly connecting together the common lower end portions of said pair of legs, a pin fixed in and projecting downwardly from each of said leg end portions, the opposed ends of the legs forming sockets to telescopically receive the pins on the next superjacent component, a number of upstanding panels, leg engaging spring clips of semicircular configurations secured to the corner portions contiguous portions of the same leg.

3. A knock-down display structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the cross bar has each end portion connected to an intermediate portion of a spaced apart pin, one

- portion of each pin being swaged in an end of each leg and the opposed end of each pin projecting downwardly from the cross bar. 

1. A knock-down display structure having at least two spaced apart, sectionalized frames, each frame comprising a number of Ushaped components each having a pair of spaced, upstanding tubular legs of cylindrical cross section, a cross-bar rigidly connecting together the common lower end portions of said pair of legs, a pin fixed in and projecting downwardly from each of said leg end portions, the opposed ends of the legs forming sockets to telescopically receive the pins on the next superjacent component, a number of upstanding panels, leg engaging spring clips of semi-circular configurations secured to the corner portions of each panel, opposed spring clips being adapted to detachably engage and snap, over-center around the exterior faces of adjacent legs, and a shelf member having a series of downwardly open notches on the underside end portions to engage upon the cross-bars on adjacent frames.
 2. A knock-down display structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spring clips on the corners of adjacent panels are vertically offset one to the other to grip contiguous portions of the same leg.
 3. A knock-down display structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the cross bar has each end portion connected to an intermediate portion of a spaced apart pin, one portion of each pin being swaged in an end of each leg and the opposed end of each pin projecting downwardly from the cross bar. 